There is a long list of places that I'd like to travel to in my lifetime, and though I haven't been to them all, I've been fortunate enough to go to some magnificent sites. Just two years ago I was able to check Peru off my long list of travel destinations! It feels like just yesterday I was walking through the narrow streets and the central square of Cusco. Cusco was once the capital of the historic Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. Today the city preserves a Spanish colonial architecture but is still surrounded by indigenous Quechua culture.

During my stay, I wandered the city, ate some of the best food I've EVER eaten and met friendly locals who were enthusiastic to share the history of Cusco. A few hours after my arrival, I noticed that a vast number of people only spoke Quechua (the language of the Inca). That was probably one of my favorite things. I felt like I was traveling through time. Another thing that stood out to me about the charming city was that all the indigenous women wore hats. Tall hats, round hats, top hats, literally every style and color. But the interesting thing is that only the women wore them none of the men did. Kinda cool right? That week I bought five hats! ;D

After exploring Cusco for a few days, I went on a scenic four-hour train ride to visit Machu Picchu. The ancient city was so much more than I expected. It sat high on top of the Andes mountains and was surrounded by enormous white clouds, the clouds and mist seemed so close, and the air felt cold, the entire city looked like that of a mystical movie. Words cannot do it justice, but I hope that my images can give you even a little bit of the feeling I had from seeing this magical place. If the opportunity for you ever arises to visit Machu Picchu, you should do so, that way you can come to understand the majestic beauty of the lost Incan city.